HATTIESBURG While
some children develop an early fear of needles, Elizabeth Herrington
developed an early fascination for them.

Now, it is
paying off.

Herrington,
of Ridgeland, a senior majoring in medical technology at The University
of Southern Mississippi, has received a $1,000 scholarship from
the Associate Member Student Section of the American Society for
Clinical Pathology.

Chosen for
her outstanding academic achievement in laboratory medicine studies
and for her strong leadership in the field, Herrington was among
more than 150 entries to the ASCP-AMS Educators Committee.

Herrington,
22, is the daughter of Randy and Denise Herrington of Ridgeland.

"My father
is a med-tech, and I've always liked it," said Herrington,
adding that she became interested in laboratory technology at an
early age.

A degree from
Southern Miss, she said, would allow her to compete in the diverse
field of laboratory medicine. Herrington, who maintains a 4.0 GPA,
said she chose Southern Miss because "it has the best medical
technology program in the state."

"There
are a lot of opportunities out there. You can work in retail, selling
for the companies that supply labs, or you can be the manager of
a lab, or work in a specialty lab. And you can work at almost any
hospital because right now there is a shortage," Herrington
said.

Candidates
for the scholarship were judged by their grade-point average, letters
of recommendation and a 750-word personal essay describing their
career goals and leadership skills.

"Elizabeth
is an exceptional student with a real grasp of academics, but who's
also very compassionate," said Dr. Jane Hudson, program director
for medical technology. "She'll be a real asset to the medical
technology profession.

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April 20, 2004 4:09 PM